Method for processing printing orders in server-based networks, and corresponding server-based network

ABSTRACT

A system and method processes print jobs in server-based networks as well as a relevant network. The system and method provides a printer driver with a printer-independent first part installed on a server and a printer-dependent second part installed on an end device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/470,137 filed Dec. 4, 2003, which was the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/DE02/00364 filed Jan. 29, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method to process print jobs in server-based networks as well as a server-based network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Server-based network architectures—unlike conventional file servers or client/server architectures—can be identified in that applications are not run locally on end devices, but centrally on a server. Solely the presentation occurs on the local end device. Besides screen presentation exists the presentation form of the printout, which can also be executed on the local end device. Thus print jobs in server-based architectures can be printed over locally connected print devices or network print devices, which in turn can also be configured as locally networked or as networked remote devices, whereby creation of the print job is always executed on the server.

Creation of a print job in named networks based on MS Windows operating systems always occurs in three phases, which are completed on the server:

-   1. Application-specific creation of page representation, with which     the print job is converted to an EMF (enhanced Metafile) file     format. -   2. Onscreen preview option using the EMF file of the page which is     later to be printed. -   3. Printer-specific preparation (rendering) in which the EMF file is     converted to a RAW file using a device-specific printer driver.

The rendered print job is finally sent to the end device and there printed out.

Different problems arise during print job rendering [processing] in server-based networks. All printer devices available on the client side must, for example, be supported; in other words, a relevant printer driver must be installed on the server for every print device. A multiplicity of printer drivers leads to conflicts.

No driver exists for terminal servers (NT or 2000) for print devices, which communicate bi-directionally, so that these cannot be used in server-based networks.

For the user of an end device, independent installation of a local print device is as a rule only possible if the driver for the print device is already available on the server, thereby supporting the installation.

To avoid such problems, it is known to install a .pdf writer as default printer on the server. Print jobs from any application are converted into an EMF file as usual, and then given to the .pdf writer. This application creates a .pdf document, which is sent to the end device. On the end device, this data format can be viewed using a .pdf viewer or forwarded with help from the installed printer driver to a port and/or print device for printout.

A solution described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,635 B1 provides a printer driver where printer-dependent printer drivers 13-1 . . . 13-3 for several different printers are combined. A printer not supported by the drivers included in the print system cannot be used for printout. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,635 B1 describes a printer driver that is in fact flexible, but it is not printer independent.

Further solutions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,106,465 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,941 B1. According to these solutions, a print job is started and generated on a client computer, which sends the print job to a remote server connected to a target printer. A disadvantage of these solutions is that it is always necessary to install a printer driver associated with the target printer on both the client computer and the print server. Especially for printing in server-based networks, this leads to a necessity to provide all possible printer drivers on the server situated in the network, which may be used by target printer of a client connected to the server.

Although this process indeed avoids printer driver conflicts, it nevertheless causes other disadvantages, which could outweigh the intended advantage. A loss of quality is generally unavoidable when diverting the data over the .pdf writer, so that this process is excluded for some applications. Furthermore, dedicated print servers and network printers are not supported by this method. There is no streaming, i.e. transmission of the file to be printed in smaller packets, so that printing the file requires much time. To use this method, each end device requires an Acrobat Reader, which further decreases the already low capacity of the end devices in such network architectures. Ultimately, this method causes a high consumption of both server and client CPU resources.

SUMMARY

It is, therefore, the object present of the invention to establish a method for processing print jobs in server-based networks as well as a relevant network in which the disadvantages of the methods of print processing according to the state of art can be avoided.

The invention provides a method of processing print jobs in server-based networks where within the context of processing print jobs on the server, print jobs are transmitted in a printer-independent format (for example EMF format) to the client, where they are then converted with a relevant printer driver.

With the method provided by the invention, installation of a print device-specific printer driver is advantageously only required on a relevant end device. On the server, only the universal printer driver, which is independent of application/print device, must be installed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of a conventional printing system according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of a printing system for processing a print job according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a chart for processing of a print job according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a chart for processing of a print job according to a form of execution of a method provided by the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is direct to printing in server-based networks, where applications and also a print client runs on an application server situated within the network. The application server, however, is controlled by a so-called client terminal. The print job according to the invention is created on the application server.

According to the invention and as shown in FIG. 2, a system 20 having an application server 22 may generate a print job as print data in a printer-independent print format, such as, for example, EMF format by using a printer-independent printer driver 24. The application server 22 may electrically connected to and/or in communication with a client terminal 23 and/or end device 26. The end device 26 may include a printer-specific driver 27. The application server 22 may transmit the print data in the printer-independent print format to the end device 26 which may be connected to a target printer 28 where the print data is converted into a printer-specific RAW format. Thus, the system 20 may utilize the printer-independent printer driver 24 on the application server 22 to process a print job in an embodiment of the present invention.

In contrast, a conventional printing system 1, as shown in FIG. 1, always requires installation of a printer-specific driver 2 associated with a target printer 4 on both a client terminal 6 and a print server 8.

In contrast to the conventional solution set forth by system 1, the present invention uses a printer-independent printer driver 24 on the application server 22 for generating the print job in EMF format. According to the present invention, the printer-specific driver is only installed on the end device 26 connected to the target printer 28.

This leads to the advantage, that in server-based networks, the application server 22 has installed only the one printer-independent driver and not a large number of different printer-specific drivers, which cause several problems as indicated above.

This arrangement can also occur with print devices that are reachable over the internet, in that a printer-independent format file, such as, for example, a EMF file is sent to them over the internet.

This arrangement of the method provided by the invention is intended for end devices, which are too feebly designed for a normal print process. The end device user is relieved of the necessities of administration and the print job can be generated individually for the print device configured to the end device. The application server 22 is also, appropriate to its tasks, relieved of the task of processing print jobs.

Transport of the printer-independent formatted print job in, for example, EMF format between application server 22 and client terminal 23 can take place online, as file or stream, as well as offline, especially in the form of e-mails.

Another arrangement of the method provided by the invention exists therein, that some end devices have no print device connected to them; e.g., to enable printout from the next best printer found underway for the user of mobile devices. For this purpose the file in printer-independent format (for example EMF format) is sent over a fax or mail server, which generates a fax or a mail, respectively, to a fax device or mailbox, whereby conversion to a *.pdf file is possible if needed.

In a form of execution for the circumstance that the client device is not capable of displaying the print job on its display screen, the method is to send a bitmap, which depicts the pages parallel to print job transmission, because as a rule bitmaps can be issued on very end device with graphic display options.

To keep the amount of data to be sent as small as possible, the e.g. mobile client device sends its display information to the server. This then creates from the document a bitmap, which precisely corresponds to the display options and the display screen. Thus only the truly necessary data amount is created and transmitted.

The method likewise provides that with help from a so-called viewer component, the print job can be viewed on the client computer before printout. In this way this method can also be used for report systems, which have no visualization available on the client machine. This is generally the case where conventional report systems are to be used in web architectures.

It is furthermore preferentially provided for that the print job in printer-independent print format be saved in compressed form and used as document exchange format. To do so only the document and the client application together with the viewer are made available to the client. The viewer decompresses the data and displays the file in printer-independent print format, for example in EMF format. The data can then be further processed with any local printer driver installed on the client. Conversion of the EMF file to the print device-specific RAW format then occurs with a local printer driver, so that the print job can be issued from a local print device.

Print job transmission from server to client can also, if preferred, take place in compressed form.

The server-based network provided by the invention is furnished with a MS Windows operating system and consists of a server, a multitude of end devices, preferentially in the form of PCs, and directly or indirectly connected print devices or similar, whereby on the server a printer-independent first part of a printer driver is installed that generates a print job in a printer-independent format, and whereby on the end device a printer device-specific second part of a printer driver is installed by which the print jobs are processed.

In one form of execution of the network provided by the invention, between the server and the end devices is situated a print server, a fax server, or a mail server, on which the file in printer-independent print format is processed with the local printer device-specific printer driver or the generation of a fax or mail, respectively. After processing comes transmission of the relevant file to the end device, the fax, or the mailbox, whereby data found on the end device with information about the type of print device or processing with a printer driver from same is sent to the print server. The print device can be connected to the network over the internet.

A client machine can preferentially be positioned in such a way that it receives print jobs from any servers as e-mail and can print these out on any printout devices (printer, fax, archive). The form of printout can thereby be specified in the e-mail's subject line.

FIG. 3 depicts a print process according to current technical status under MS Windows. Through an arbitrary application 10 the generation of a print job is initiated in that it invokes the functions of the graphics driver interface (GDI) 11. Independently of the printout format of the print job through the application 10, the local print provider 12 creates, once the print job has passed through a spooler process 13 and a router 14, a so-called spool file 15 to keep the time for printing as short as possible for the application 10. Lastly this spool file 15 is read by the print processor 16 and if the print job is available in EMF format, the spool file 15 is sent through the print processor 16 back to the GDI 11. The GDI 11 then creates a RAW file with help from the printer graphics DLL 17. This file thereupon travels through the local print provider 12 without repeated spooling. Insofar as the print job is available as RAW file according to spool file 15, it is sent without again accessing the GDI 11 over the port monitor 18 to the printer or in the network to the client and its printer.

In the method provided by the invention according to FIGS. 4A and 4B, which makes use of the system 20 in FIG. 2, the process according to current technical status is modified in such a way that after running through the local print provider 12 an EMF print job runs through an invention-specific print processor 19 and is then forwarded over the port monitor 18 to the client's application. Thus, the print job is sent to the client in a printer independent format. Through the client application 10 this job is then again introduced into the client's local Windows process, as if the print job had been generated on the client and not on the server. Consequent processing is then executed by the client according to the method of FIG. 3.

For the sake of better overview, the features of the conventional printing system and the elements essential to the printing system and methods provided by the invention have been given reference marks in the above described FIGS. 1-3, 4A and 4B.

Reference mark list Conventional printing system 1 Printer-specific driver 2 Target printer 4 Client terminal 6 Print server 8 Application 10 GDI 11 Print provider 12 Spooler process 13 Router 14 Spool file 15 Print processor 16 Printer graphics DLL 17 Port monitor 18 Printing system 20 Application server 22 Client terminal 23 Printer-independent driver 24 End device 26 Printer-specific driver 27 Target printer 28 

1. A method for processing a print job in a server-based network comprising: providing a printer driver with a printer-independent first part installed on a server and a printer-dependent second part installed on an end device; at the server on the network, generating at least one print job by an application on the server; processing the print job at the server using the printer-independent first part of the printer driver, the printer-independent part of the printer driver generating the print job in a printer-independent print format; transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format from the server to the end device connected to a target printer; and at the end device, converting the print job to a printer device-specific print format using the printer-specific part of the printer driver corresponding to the target printer.
 2. The method of claim 1, providing at least one of the features of: the printer-independent print format is a printer-independent EMF format, and the printer device-specific print format is a printer device-specific RAW format.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the printer-independent printer driver does not perform printer device-specific processing of the print job.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the print job is transmitted to the end device at least one of online, as a file, as a stream and offline.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the offline transmitting is in the form of an e-mail.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the end device is an e-mail or fax server, which generates an e-mail or fax from the converted print job file and transmits the converted print job file to an e-mailbox or fax device on the network, respectively.
 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: saving the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form at the server; and transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format, formatted for document exchange to the end device, wherein the end device includes an application with a viewer for displaying the print job file.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form.
 9. A server-based network comprising: a server coupled to a plurality of end devices, wherein at least a first of the end devices is coupled to a local print device; wherein the server includes a printer-independent first part of a printer driver comprising means for generating a print job in printer-independent print format, wherein the server comprises means for transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format to the end devices; and wherein the first end device includes a printer-dependent second part of the printer driver comprising means for converting the print job into a printer device-specific print format using the printer-dependent second part of the printer driver corresponding to the local print device.
 10. The network of claim 9, providing at least one of the features of: the printer-independent print format is a printer-independent EMF format, and the printer device-specific print format is a printer device-specific RAW format.
 11. The network of claim 9, wherein the printer-independent printer driver does not perform printer device-specific processing on the print job.
 12. The network of claim 9, wherein the server comprises means for transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format to the first end device at least one of online, as a file, as a stream and offline.
 13. The network of claim 31, wherein the server comprises means for transmitting to the first end device, in parallel with the print job in printer-independent print format, a bitmap for display on the first end device and corresponding to a page of the print job.
 14. The network of claim 9, wherein the first end device comprises means for transmitting display information to the server, and wherein the bitmap corresponds to display options and display format of the first end device.
 15. The network of claim 31, wherein the server comprises means for storing the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form; and wherein the server comprises means for formatting the print job in printer-independent print format for document exchange and means for transmitting the document exchange formatted print job to the first end device, wherein the first end device includes an application with a viewer for displaying the print job file.
 16. A method for processing a print job in a server-based network, comprising: providing a printer driver with a printer-independent first part installed on a first server and a printer-dependent second part installed on a second server, at the first server on the network, generating at least one print job by an application on the first server; processing the print job at the first server using the printer-independent first part of the printer driver; the printer-independent part of the printer driver generating the print job in a printer-independent print format; transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format from the first server to the second server connected to a client; and at the second server, which is informed by the client of a target printer, converting the print job to a printer device-specific print format using the printer-specific part of the printer driver corresponding to the target printer.
 17. The method of claim 16, providing at least one of the features of: the printer-independent print format is a printer-independent EMF format, and the printer device-specific print format is a printer device-specific RAW format.
 18. The method for processing print jobs in server-based networks according to claim 16, wherein: the first server is a network server or an application server, and the second server is a print server, a fax server or a mail server.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the printer-independent first part of the printer driver does not perform printer device-specific processing of the print job.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the print job is transmitted to the second server at least one of online, as a file, as a stream and offline.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the offline transmitting is in the form of an e-mail.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second server is an e-mail or fax server, which generates an e-mail or fax from the converted print job file and transmits the converted print job file to an e-mailbox or fax device on the network, respectively.
 23. The method of claim 16 further comprising: saving the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form at the first server; and transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format and formatted for document exchange via the second server to the client, wherein the client includes an application with a viewer for displaying the print job file.
 24. The method of claim 16 further comprising: transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form.
 25. A server-based network comprising: a first server coupled to at least one second server, wherein the at least one second server is coupled to a plurality of end devices, and wherein at least a first of the end devices is coupled to a local print device; wherein the first server includes a printer-independent first part of a printer driver comprising means for generating a print job in printer-independent print format, wherein the first server comprises means for transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format to at least one of the second servers; and wherein the second server includes a printer-dependent second part of the printer driver comprising means for converting the print job into a printer device-specific print format using the printer-dependent second part of the printer driver corresponding to the local print device, after the second server has been informed by the first end device of the local print device.
 26. The network of claim 25, providing at least one of the features of: the printer-independent print format is a printer-independent EMF format, and the printer device-specific print format is a printer device-specific RAW format.
 27. The system for processing print jobs in server-based networks according to claim 25, wherein: the first server is a network server or an application server, and the second server is a print server, a fax server or a mail server.
 28. The network of claim 25, wherein the printer-independent first part of the printer driver does not perform printer device-specific processing on the print job.
 29. The network of claim 25, comprising at least one of: the first server comprising means for transmitting the print job in printer-independent print format to the second server at least one of online, as a file, as a stream and offline, and the second server comprising means for transmitting the print job in printer device-specific print format to the first end device at least one of online, as a file, as a stream and offline.
 30. The network of claim 25, wherein the first server comprises means for transmitting to the second server, in parallel with the print job in printer-independent print format, a bitmap for display on the first end device and corresponding to a page of the print job.
 31. The network of claim 25, wherein the second server or the first end device comprises means for transmitting display information to the first server, and wherein the bitmap corresponds to display options and display format of the first end device.
 32. The network of claim 25, wherein the first server comprises means for storing the print job in printer-independent print format in compressed form; and wherein the first server comprises means for formatting the print job in printer-independent print format for document exchange and means for transmitting the document exchange formatted print job via the second server to the first end device, wherein the first end device includes an application with a viewer for displaying the print job file. 